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I spent the first 13 years of my life growing up in a neighborhood that back in its day, was like "Leave It To Beaver". I don't know how many here are well over retirement age as I am (old enough to remember) good old Richard J Daley when HE ran the show in Chicago. Yeah it may not have been perfection, but man when something needed doing he'd wave his hand and BAM it got DONE! like NOW!. The police did their job back then as did most all the municipal forces. They coped well with the 67 blizzard I endured as a teen cleaning up the streets.
Back then (believe it or not) there were no gang members or threats of violence IN the Manor (one's fist was about the most potent thing used as a weapon). Heck it wasn't until Richard Speck went and killed those poor nurses in our neighborhood (Jeffrey Manor) most folks didn't even lock their doors most of the time. But by the time 1967 rolled around Bown High School, the school I would have ended up attending the year after my grade school graduation had started becoming a bit of a war zone importing hispanics, blacks and just about everything gang associated.
My parents best friends/back fence neighbors, convinced my parents to make the move to save me from the violence I would face going into High School. So they moved us up to Highland Park. Talk about dodging a bullet. I ended up befriending some guys at Ft. Sheridan and we formed a rock band. It provided 3 years of great fun growing up without strife. Meanwhile Jeffrey Manor got flushed down a bad toilet as most all the folks that had grown up there or had their first homes after WWII left for greener (safer) pastures.
I won't rant on folks anymore, that have chosen to continue to live in or near the city of Chicago any further. Kmanshouse got the point across. Its all about what a person is willing to "tolerate" is how I'd put it. I for one have NO desire to every have to look over my shoulder worrying about my welfare. To suggest living in Chicago doesn't come with that territory is in shear denial. But I digress. I moved away from the Midwest in 1978. Spent 3 years initially in Salt Lake City then a good job offer in the SF Bay area brought me there with what was then my new wife. we spent 10 years there till the cost of living skyrocketed out of control. Moving back to the Salt Lake City area in 93 we noted there were then many gangs imported from LA at that time. But I took on a job where it was all about travel by car from Ohio to the West Coast. I enjoyed the travel to all the states I'd visit. And it gave me an opportunity to visit my folks who were still alive. In 2004 we'd built a home and I was then off the road. But as Salt Lake City began to boom in population, it brought back too many memories of living in a congested area
Sure Kmanshouse, I get it, the restaurants and other facilities in a populated area can be a real luxury. But not everyone wants to pay the price to have them, I guess. So once again we moved from Salt Lake to a nice rural area in Idaho where there are never any traffic jams. Most folks know who you are and likewise. Your neighbors look out for you and you for them. It's the first time since the 50's and 60's growing up in the Manor that life has been like this. And I plan on spending the remaining years I have this way. I wish you all that have decided to tough it out in your city environs lots of luck. Most of us are well aware of the trends of our country and it's not looking too promising. So, hunker down and enjoy the food when you can. Sorry for the ramble, just thought I'd leave you with those thoughts and understanding why I've been such a grumbler for so long. I won't bother any further so you can chill out.
Thanks for the post.
You live where you want, and that's great. There will be a time when I want to live somewhere else too. Just not yet.
I'm not sure I have ever heard Freeport, Galena, Moline, or even Rockford referred to as "upstate" and I live within 45 miles of all of them.
I didn't really mean the opening post to be a rant, just more of a "What's your opinion". Folks who live in the City do have more options for shopping, dining, nightlife, etc. , but "downstate-ers" don't have to deal with the traffic, the congestion, and definitely the crime. Dcisive is spot on with it being about what you are willing to "tolerate".
Like I started with, I have found that so many non-Chicagoans feel "slighted" when they are called downstate-ers. Why does there have to be a division? The state seems to be so Chicago-centric when it comes to laws and budget, that many "downstate-ers" already feel like the red-headed step children of the family. Calling them downstate is like piling on.
I like visiting the City and we drive in 3-4 times a year. The skyline is beautiful (especially at night) but so is the overlook west of Galena on RT 20 (especially in the fall) and the view down the Rock River from the rest stop on RT 2 outside of Oregon.
Both parts of the state have their pros and cons. Downstate-ers refer to areas of the state other than their own with direction. Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, Central Illinois, but in the northeast corner there is only Upstate (them) and downstate (the rest of us). It's a shame.
I'm not sure I have ever heard Freeport, Galena, Moline, or even Rockford referred to as "upstate" and I live within 45 miles of all of them.
I didn't really mean the opening post to be a rant, just more of a "What's your opinion". Folks who live in the City do have more options for shopping, dining, nightlife, etc. , but "downstate-ers" don't have to deal with the traffic, the congestion, and definitely the crime. Dcisive is spot on with it being about what you are willing to "tolerate".
Like I started with, I have found that so many non-Chicagoans feel "slighted" when they are called downstate-ers. Why does there have to be a division? The state seems to be so Chicago-centric when it comes to laws and budget, that many "downstate-ers" already feel like the red-headed step children of the family. Calling them downstate is like piling on.
I like visiting the City and we drive in 3-4 times a year. The skyline is beautiful (especially at night) but so is the overlook west of Galena on RT 20 (especially in the fall) and the view down the Rock River from the rest stop on RT 2 outside of Oregon.
Both parts of the state have their pros and cons. Downstate-ers refer to areas of the state other than their own with direction. Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, Central Illinois, but in the northeast corner there is only Upstate (them) and downstate (the rest of us). It's a shame.
There are a lot of smaller cities in Illinois, away from Chicago, that are in bad shape.
Danville and Decatur - terrible. Springfield, outside of the Lincoln/tourist stuff isn't great either. Rockford is an absolute pit in every way. That said, if someone told me they were from these places, I would never make fun of them, or say "I'm sorry".
Peoria has some nice spots. Bloomington and Champaign have big universities which props them up.
There are a lot of smaller cities in Illinois, away from Chicago, that are in bad shape.
Danville and Decatur - terrible. Springfield, outside of the Lincoln/tourist stuff isn't great either. Rockford is an absolute pit in every way. That said, if someone told me they were from these places, I would never make fun of them, or say "I'm sorry".
Peoria has some nice spots. Bloomington and Champaign have big universities which props them up.
Oh my Danville and Decatur have been dying since the early 80's when I used to pass through there on business. So much of Southern Illinois has become decrepit even since the 90's. Mt. Vernon and a couple other towns down that way are meth capitals. We all know how horrid Rockford has become. Its so sad as I remember a time 60's and 70's when Rockford was a decent place. I had friends there I used to go up and visit. The list is endless of the towns and areas of Illinois that have all but evaporated.
I went to SIU Carbondale in the early 70's, but man has that place ever changed. One reason I prefer to hang onto my memories. The current state of most places I recalled are a far cry (in a bad way) from what they once were. If many of you had the perspective to have seen even the Chicago metro in the 50's you would be utterly amazed. It was not only a commercial powerhouse but quite safe in most areas one might travel. The very character of so very many neighborhoods were so different (in a good way). But like I said I'll just hang onto my memories of playing pinners in the streets and wiffle ball till dark. Knowing everyone in the neighborhood and never worrying about riding your bike several miles and worrying about any harm coming to you.
Walking the block or 2 to the nearby shopping center for whatever you might need, go bowling, grab a nice sit-down meal. Used to take the CTA buss from the Manor downtown and play for the day. Till right before we were to move a couple of drunk black guys grabbed me by the neck on the bus going through Hyde Park, and nobody even looked my way. That was the end of my love affair with city life. Oh well, like I said, memories of a better time are pretty priceless. At least I know it truly was that way long ago, and not my imagination.
Your sentiments are shared by a lot of people who generally miss the "good old days".
In many ways, our country, and as follows, some areas of the country, have changed dramatically, and in a lot of cases, for the bad. That said, crime has shifted from some areas to others. Money and wealth also.
There are quite a few spots that have "gentrified" and gotten safer/better than they were in the 80s and 90s. My current location is one of them, I'm told.
The bigger issue is that our society has become keyboard/phone-centric and the way of life of decades past is forever gone in most towns. Also, wealth has shifted to fewer people - those people enjoy paying huge $$ for amenities and cities/neighborhoods are built for that minority. Too many others are priced out now and can't live the way they used to live without either moving to an unsafe block or out in the sticks.
As much as a Positive person I hope you might believe me to be, I have to be honest:
I do have a slight concern on the housing development that they are proposing by your nearby L station.
I hope it only brings community-based residents! Your area unfortunately has enough incidents as of late that I hope it does NOT go back to the "iffy" neighborhood that it once was before you moved there (as you have been told it was, in prior years).
It definitely is one of my favorite areas of the city. If they put up the lights on the main street, with this light snow, I'm certain it looks BEAUTIFUL!
Oh my Danville and Decatur have been dying since the early 80's when I used to pass through there on business. So much of Southern Illinois has become decrepit even since the 90's. Mt. Vernon and a couple other towns down that way are meth capitals. We all know how horrid Rockford has become. Its so sad as I remember a time 60's and 70's when Rockford was a decent place. I had friends there I used to go up and visit. The list is endless of the towns and areas of Illinois that have all but evaporated.
I went to SIU Carbondale in the early 70's, but man has that place ever changed. One reason I prefer to hang onto my memories. The current state of most places I recalled are a far cry (in a bad way) from what they once were. If many of you had the perspective to have seen even the Chicago metro in the 50's you would be utterly amazed. It was not only a commercial powerhouse but quite safe in most areas one might travel. The very character of so very many neighborhoods were so different (in a good way). But like I said I'll just hang onto my memories of playing pinners in the streets and wiffle ball till dark. Knowing everyone in the neighborhood and never worrying about riding your bike several miles and worrying about any harm coming to you.
Walking the block or 2 to the nearby shopping center for whatever you might need, go bowling, grab a nice sit-down meal. Used to take the CTA buss from the Manor downtown and play for the day. Till right before we were to move a couple of drunk black guys grabbed me by the neck on the bus going through Hyde Park, and nobody even looked my way. That was the end of my love affair with city life. Oh well, like I said, memories of a better time are pretty priceless. At least I know it truly was that way long ago, and not my imagination.
Most of the smaller cities in the Midwest have been hollowed out for over 40 years now, and much of the new economic growth and population migrations have shifted to the Sunbelt for better or worse. Wisconsin, while it certainly has its problems, has a good number of smaller cities and metro areas that are in far better shape than much of Downstate Illinois. A good way to analyze economic activity is to look at building permits issued over the course of a calendar year. You have counties in Illinois with 30-40K people that have issued fewer than 5 new building permits in a year...
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